Close
Biochemistry degrees
| Programme details | |
|---|---|
| Start date | September |
| UCAS code | BSc Biochemistry C700 |
| Duration | BSc 3 years Full Time |
| Location | UCL Bloomsbury |
Why study Biochemistry at UCL?
UCL is ranked number two in London for Life Sciences and number nine globally (QS World University Rankings 2023).
Biochemistry is a practical science. You can expect to spend a significant portion of your time either in wet laboratories, where you will handle chemicals and biological materials, or in "dry" practicals.
Our biochemistry programmes have a strong focus on computational analysis. Our students can compare the findings of their research to similar studies from around the world. This again reflects our focus on preparing our students for successful research careers.
You may transfer to BSc Biochemistry with a Year in Industry on securing and completing a placement year in an industrial setting. These are optional, competitive placements that are dependent on successful application to a placement provider. The placement is taken in third year for BSc students or fourth year for those on the MSci, and you return to campus for a final year to complete your academic studies.
You are able to undertake two research projects in your third year - an advanced literature based investigation and a lab based group project where you generate your own unique data. This process reflects how real world labs operate and prepares you for success in this arena.
Our students will have the opportunity to learn from the leading experts at our partner institutes as well as conducting research in their labs in some situations. These partners include the UCL Cancer Institute, the Francis Crick Institute, the Sainsburys Wellcome Centre, Cancer Research UK and our own Darwin Research Facility.
- UCL's Darwin Research Facility provides state of the art centrifugation, cell culture, imaging and biomolecular structural analysis facilities and a drug discovery facility.
Course structure overview
In the first year of the programme you will take compulsory modules which provide an excellent grounding across the sciences and will also allow you to find the areas you wish to study in more detail.
In year two, all biochemistry students take courses in molecular biology and biomolecular structure and function. Those on the pure biochemistry stream also take metabolism and physical chemistry. Students electing to take the molecular biology pathway choose a mixture of cell biology and immunity and infection modules instead. All pathways give students an optional course too.
After year two, you may apply to transfer to the more research intensive MSci degree, or the BSc with a Year in Industry, gaining invaluable experience in an academic or industrial research laboratory. These are optional competitive placements that are dependent on successful application to a placement provider. Further information on this option is provided during your degree.
The compulsory modules in the final year of the BSc Biochemistry programme will focus principally on deepening your knowledge and understanding of molecular biosciences, including carrying out an investigative research project. The level of choice increases in year three allowing you to further specialise. You will have the opportunity to choose optional modules in different areas of Biochemistry, Biosciences and beyond.
Year four is also when students are able to pursue their own research projects within the guidelines of the MSci programme.
Year one course content (BSc and MSci)
All modules are core for year one.
BIOC0001 Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (15 credits)
Leader: Dr Amanda Cain
BIOL0003 Introduction to Genetics (15 credits)
Leader: Dr Lawrence Bellamy
BIOC0002 Basics for Molecular Biosciences (0 credits)
Leader: Dr Suzanne Ruddy
BIOC0004 Introduction to Microbiology (15 credits)
Leader: Dr Kristine Arnvig
BIOC0003 Experimental Biochemistry (30 credits)
Leader: Professor Andrea Townsend-Nicholson
CELL0007 Cells and Development (15 credits)
Leader: Professor Sandip Patel
CHEM0010 Chemistry for Biologists (30 credits)
Leader: Professor Andrea Sella
Years two, three or four Biochemistry (BSc and MSci)
| Year 2 (BSc and MSci) | Year 3 (BSc only) | Year 3 (MSci only) | Year 4 (MSci only) |
|---|---|---|---|
| BIOC0005 Molecular Biology Professor Saul Purton | BIOC0023 Dr Toryn Poolman or BIOC0029 Dr Renee Vancraenenbroeck Specialist Research Project in metagenomics/or protein purification | BIOC0021 Advanced Investigative Project in Molecular Biosciences Dr Suzanne Ruddy | BIOC0025 MSci Extended Research Project in Molecular Biosciences Dr Amanda Cain |
| BIOC0008 Biomolecular Structure and Function Professor Snezana Djordjevic | BIOC0021 Advanced Investigative Project in Molecular Biosciences Dr Suzanne Ruddy | BIOC0023 Dr Toryn Poolman or BIOC0029 Dr Renee Vancraenenbroeck Specialist Research Project in metagenomics/or protein purification | BIOC0026 Molecular Biosciences MSci Research Techniques Dr Eleni Makrinou |
| BIOC0010 Metabolism and its Regulation Dr Eleni Makrinou | Must take at least 90 credits of BIOC modules in total. | 30 credits from: BIOC0014, BIOC0015 or BIOC0030 (you must choose 2 out of these 3 modules) | BIOC0024 MSci Investigative Project in Molecular Biosciences Dr Amanda Cain |
| CHEM0020 Physical Chemistry for Medicinal Chemistry and Life Sciences Professor Daren Caruana | Maximum of 15 credits from non-science modules, at an appropriate level. | 15 credits from any life sciences module (s). Please note: you can only select one module from BIOC0017, BIOS0001 and BIOC0019. | All modules are core for Year 4 |
| BIOC0012 Research Project Foundations Dr Kate Bowers | 15 credits from any other module at UCL | ||
| One of the three modules below: | |||
| CELL0010 Integrative Cell Biology (Cell Signalling and Regulation) -- 15 credits Professor Geraint Thomas | |||
| CHEM0023 Chemistry of Biologically Important Modules - 15 credits Professor Stefan Howorka | |||
| A 15-credit module of your choice. |
Years two, three or four BSc Molecular Biology (second year entry only)
| Year 2 | Year 3 BSc | Year 3 MSci | Year 4 (MSci only) |
|---|---|---|---|
| BIOC0005 Molecular Biology Professor Saul Purton | BIOC0030 Advanced Molecular Biology of Protein Regulatory Networks Professor Ivan Gout | BIOC0030 Advanced Molecular Biology of Protein Regulatory Networks Professor Ivan Gout | BIOC0025 MSci Extended Research Project in Molecular Biosciences Dr Amanda Cain |
| BIOC0008 Biomolecular Structure and Function Professor Snezana Djordjevic | BIOC0020 Molecular Mechanisms of Gene Expression and Regulation Dr Andrew Osborne | 15 credits from: BIOC0014, BIOC0015 or BIOC0020 (you must choose 1 out of these 3 modules) | BIOC0026 Molecular Biosciences MSci Research Techniques Dr Eleni Makrinou |
| BIOC0012 Research Project Foundations | BIOC0021 Advanced Investigative Project in Molecular Biosciences Dr Suzanne Ruddy | BIOC0021 Advanced Investigative Project in Molecular Biosciences Dr Suzanne Ruddy | BIOC0024 MSci Investigative Project in Molecular Biosciences Dr Amanda Cain |
| BIOC0023 Dr Toryn Poolman or BIOC0029 Dr Renee Vancraenenbroeck Specialist Research Project in metagenomics/or protein purification | BIOC0023 Dr Toryn Poolman or BIOC0029 Dr Renee Vancraenenbroeck Specialist Research Project in metagenomics/or protein purification | All modules are core for Year 4 | |
| One of the below three modules: | 15-30 credits from any other Biosciences module(s) | 15-30 credits from any other Biosciences module(s) | |
| CELL0009 Integrative Cell Biology (Cell Structure and Function) -- 15 credits Dr Louise Cramer | 0-15 credits from any other module at UCL | 0-15 credits from any other module at UCL | |
| CELL0010 Integrative Cell Biology (Cell Signalling and Regulation) -- 15 credits Professor Geraint Thomas | PLEASE NOTE THAT IF YOU TOOK 30 CREDITS OF NON-LIFE SCIENCES MODULES IN YEAR TWO, YOU CANNOT TAKE ANOTHER 15 CREDITS IN YEAR 3 | PLEASE NOTE THAT IF YOU TOOK 30 CREDITS OF NON-LIFE SCIENCES MODULES IN YEAR TWO, YOU CANNOT TAKE ANOTHER 15 CREDITS IN YEAR 3 | |
| One of the three modules below: | |||
| INIM0005 Immunology Dr Milica Vukmanovic-Stejic | |||
| INIM0007 Infection Professor Richard Milne | |||
| BIOL0013 Biology of Development Dr Yoshiyuki Yamamoto | |||
Depending on choice above, 15 or 30 credits worth of modules of your choice |
Example fourth year MSci projects
The role of regulatory RNA in growth and persistence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
How specific Plasmodium falciparum proteins associated with severe malaria bind host immune receptors.
Studying the folding of nascent co translational eukaryotic proteins using NMR.
Use of optical tweezers on single molecules of DNA to assay the tension in the DNA strand.
Investigating regulation of gene expression in the microalga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii for applications in synthetic biology.
Regulation of initiation of DNA replication (Francis Crick Institute).
Regulation of a gene encoding a sodium channel that is necessary for pain perception (UCL molecular nociception lab at the Wolfson institute for biomedical research).
Careers
Most of our biochemistry students (80%) are in employment 15 months after finishing their degree and 75% of those in employment are in highly skilled work. A further 15% go on to further study (Graduate Outcomes 2018-2020).
Companies that have employed our graduates in recent years include Max Delbruck Institute, Beijing Genomics Institute, University of Cambridge, Lonza and Cera Care. Our alumni can be found in areas such as data analysts, biochemical and biomedical scientists, management consultants, science, engineering and production technicians and more.
In addition to science, we focus on teaching our students highly sought after transferable skills from the first week of the programme. These include but are not limited to teamwork, problem solving, critical thinking/evaluation, data literacy, analysis and visualisation, literacy, scientific reading, presentation training, written/verbal communication, IT skills and more. As well as the development of these skills within the formal structure of the programme, UCL provides many other opportunities for students to practice these skills in other environments. These include our student society, our entrepreneurship/start up programs and student/staff retreats. These opportunities provide students with examples of their abilities in the key skills sought-after by employers for their CV and to use in job interviews. These are the examples that can clearly differentiate recent graduates and assist them in landing their first major career role.
Find out more about our graduate employability and earnings statistics at Discover Uni.
Useful careers resources:
My UCL Careers
UCL Neuroscience Careers Network
Innovation and Enterprise Training and Opportunities for Students
Professional Development Courses
Linked In Learning
Public Engagement Training
Public Policy Training
Interested in start-ups?
Many of our biochemistry students are interested in start-ups, social enterprises and developing entrepreneurial skills. UCL's Innovation and Enterprise division offers training, start-up grants, competitions, communities and much more, all of which are free to students on this programme.
UCL's entrepreneurship community has supported over 300 UCL start-ups since 2010 and raised over £280 million in investment.
In addition to potentially starting a successful business, making use of the resources at UCL in this area provides students with the opportunity to develop business skills, chances to network in London's start up community and projects that will serve them well on their CVs as well as in future job interviews.
Find out more
For information on entry requirements, fees, how to apply and much more visit the BSc Biochemistry Prospectus Page and the MSci Biochemistry Prospectus Page.
